PRINCIPAL FIXED INCOME
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Fixed income perspectives

Themes, outlook, and investment implications across global fixed income markets

Q3 2023

Economic turning points

With the likelihood of a recession growing, the landscape for fixed income investors is shifting as we enter the third quarter of 2023

After raising policy rates 500 basis points over sixteen months, the end of the Federal Reserve’s hiking cycle is now within sight, shifting duration from headwind to a tailwind.

The forward-looking trend for global policymakers in aggregate has become clearer, with fewer hiking more, more hiking less, and some not hiking at all.

With several historically reliable economic indicators signaling that a recession is on the horizon, the stage is set for fixed income to perform well; particularly, high-quality assets.

Power of the yield curve as measured by 3-month vs. 10-year curve

U.S. outlook

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With the economy slowing, the labor market showing signs of better balance, generally resilient data, and gradually improving inflation, we find ourselves asking if the Federal Reserve (Fed) will successfully engineer a soft landing to this cycle after all. Perhaps the most reliable leading indicator of a recession is the yield curve or the difference between long- and short-maturity U.S. Treasury yields. Since 1970, only two of eight hiking cycles (present cycle excluded) have ended with a soft landing. In both cases the curve did not invert. An inversion in the 3-month versus 10-year curve occurred in six of the eight cycles, and a recession followed each of those episodes. Not only is the 3-month versus 10-year curve currently inverted, but it is also as deeply inverted as it has been in over forty years.

3-month x 10-year inverts

3-month x 10-year curve (R)

Federal Funds rate (L)

Recession

6.00

4.00

2.00

0.00

-2.00

-4.00

20

15

10

5

0

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1970-1974

1975-1979

1980-1984

1985-1989

1990-1994

1995-1999

2000-2004

2005-2009

2010-2014

2015-2019

2020-2024

As of April 30, 2023. Source: Bloomberg.

Global outlook

Number of economies (G20) hiking interest

December 30, 2022

March 31, 2023

May 25, 2023

>100bp hike

50-100bp hike

0-50bp hike

paused or cut

-

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

As of May 25, 2023. Source: Bloomberg The Group of Twenty (G20) is the premier forum for international economic cooperation. G20 comprises 19 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, and United States), and the European Union. The G20 members represent around 85% of the global GDP, over 75% of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.

The trend for global policymakers in aggregate is clearer; compared to the two previous quarters, fewer are hiking more, and more are hiking less – or not hiking at all. Policymakers recognize that policy actions taken so far will continue to have lagged, uneven transmission effects on their economies. Further, the recent banking crisis likely accelerated the tightening of credit conditions, giving policymakers more reason for a period of observation. This coming observation period will buy time for a slowdown in underlying growth to be better reflected in the data. As monetary policy heads toward a pause, most asset classes will do well; however, historically, high-quality fixed income tends to deliver the most consistent returns on a risk-adjusted basis with lower variability. Attractive performance should continue well into the first-rate cuts, suggesting plenty of longevity for an overweight strategy in high-quality fixed income in this environment.

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Investment implications

While challenges remain, including the growing threat of recession and continued economic volatility, expectations for softening economic data and a likely Fed rate policy shift should create opportunities in fixed income.

Investment grade credit

High yield credit

Securitized debt

Emerging market debt

Private credit

Municipals

Investment grade credit

U.S. Corporate Investment Grade

Option adjustment spread (LHS)

Yield to worst (RHS)

450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0

7% 6% 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% 0%

2020

2021

2022

2023

As of May 31, 2023. Source: Bloomberg.

With spreads in the mid-130s, breakeven levels of nearly 20 bps appear compelling. Yields topping 5.4% remain attractive for would-be investors, as 60% of institutional investment grade buyers are yield-focused. Furthermore, a looming recession caused investors to stockpile cash, so there is plenty of it on the sidelines waiting to be deployed. In the end, it boils down to fundamentals on one side of the lane and technicals on the other. While the former is weakening, the latter is strengthening. As the two forces play out, investment grade spreads will likely bounce back and forth.

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High yield credit

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Fixed income outlook, Q3 2023

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